Despite deep concerns, including my own, based on what transpired in the past under health reform, the White House has decided on a plan to address the birth control mandate that will enable women to get contraceptive coverage directly through their insurance plans without having to buy a rider or a second plan, and without having to negotiate with or through religious entities or administrations that are hostile to primary reproductive health care, including but not ...

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced today that it will not allow an expanded religious exemption to the requirement for no co-pay birth control coverage that HHS ruled on in August. The administration’s exemption for insurance plans provided by houses of worship will remain in place. Conservative religious groups, including the influential US Conference of Catholic Bishops, wanted religiously affiliated groups like hospitals and universities to be able to opt out of covering birth control as well.

This is an important victory in the long battle to expand access to contraception. Religiously affiliated groups will have just one additional year to comply with the new rule – other groups will have to start offering no ...

I’ve written ranted before about the US. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ campaign against no-cost birth control coverage. According to Jodi Jacobson, the Obama administration might actually give in to their demands. Last week, Archbishop Dolan meet privately with President Obama and came away feeling pretty darn good about it.

What the Bishops really want is to strong-arm government into imposing restrictions on people’s choices and lives that they can’t even get Catholics to follow. They want to be able to receive federal funding, federal grants and contracts, get tax breaks and special treatment over other groups for building Catholic hospitals, maintain tax-exempt status while flouting lobbying rules, and play the victim ...

I’ve written ranted before about the US. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ campaign against no-cost birth control coverage. According to Jodi Jacobson, the Obama administration might actually give in to their demands. Last week, Archbishop Dolan meet ...